"Lady Ashford," the yellow-vested young man appeared nearby.

"Ah, is my next appointment here?" Natalia looked up at him.

"Yes, I'm afraid I cannot hold it off any longer." He glanced over at me and gave an apologetic smile.

Damn it. I still had a slew of other questions I wished to ask Natalia.

"I can set up a future appointment for you," the young man suggested. "Whichever is the earliest opening that we have."

I scraped the metal green patio chair across the paved surface and stood up.

"Make it three days from now. I'll be going out of town," I said.

"Very well, I'll note it down," the young man said. "Come by in the morning before lunchtime in three days' time."

"Where are you heading?" Natalia asked and rested her chin on her hands. "In case I get additional wind of the missing prince, I'll have a dove carrier sent that way."

"I'll be in the southern Town of Ascot. I'll be staying at my grandma's villa," I said.

"Ah, the great Ruth Arankagul?" Natalia smiled.

I nodded.

Father was a self-made man who built up the great Frey Merchant Guild from the ground up, having come from nothing. Mother, however, came from an old and wealthy family that had been involved in Adovorian society for many generations, albeit without the nobility titles. My grandmother, Ruth Arankagul, was the current ruling matriarch of that ancient family. Unfortunately, none of her siblings survived to date, and her only remaining blood relatives were Mother and my three siblings.

"Let her know ahead of time to expect a dove with news from me—I don't wish to accidentally lose any birds," Natalia said.

"I'll inform her to not shoot it down." I smiled, knowing my grandmother's security would have prevented any unexpected doves from coming near the villa if not informed.

Ruth Arankagul was warm and loving as a grandmother, but she had a calculating and cautious nature. She trusted no one except perhaps her family. She took no risks and enjoyed her privacy. When I was younger, I thought she was too cautious, but she was one of the few people near me to have died naturally rather than having her life snuffed out by outside forces.

"Wonderful. I'll see you soon again, my butterfly." Natalia waved her hand in goodbye, and I followed the young man out.

"Luca Frey?" The same plump woman from before greeted me when we entered the central part of the bakery. "I've wrapped the strawberry pastry for you."

"Thank you." I took the bow-tied small box from her hands.

"After you, miss." The young man in the yellow vest escorted Natalia Ashford's next appointment.

I turned my head and grinned, seeing the familiar pink-haired woman.

Ha! Of course, Kathy would utilize Natalia's network.

Kathy smiled back and nodded her head in acknowledgment towards me before heading into the private patio in the back.

I wonder what sort of gossip Kathy is looking for?

* ~ * ~ * ~ *

"Ah, Kathy, one of my favorite butterflies!" Natalia beamed as Kathy entered the wisteria gardens.

Kathy slid into the metal green chair across Natalia and adjusted her thick pink glasses. She gazed about the patio and took in the subtle sweet scent exuded from the hanging wisteria flowers.

"Your usual tea, lady Kathy." The young man, Carlos, set a cup of dark amber tea before her and made his way back out, leaving them to their privacy.

Kathy picked up the tea and inhaled the blend of rooibos, lotus flower petals, hibiscus, ginger, and lavender. The aroma was warm and welcoming.

Across from her, Natalia intertwined her fingers with their long purple nails and rested her chin on them. Her eyes twinkled in excitement.

"So, what sort of new intrigues have you got to share with me?" Natalia smiled. "Unless you have collected more runic gag orders on your arms?"

Kathy chuckled. She tapped her arms over the pink and white striped sleeves. "These may prevent me from speaking on certain topics, but there's much I can share."

"I hope the one I had tattooed on is working properly?" Natalia's eyes slid to Kathy's covered right arm.

"Of course. Anything I hear from you and any gossip I share with you is for your ears exclusively." Kathy recounted the conditions of the runic tattoo Natalia made her get.

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The condition was harsh, but it helped Kathy fund her card-playing hobby. And more importantly, it allowed her to obtain a higher level of information and access to the Gossip Queen of Genise. Even if she couldn't share what she heard in unfiltered conversations with Natalia, it allowed her to move and avoid trouble herself. Information was vital to surviving in the dangerous capital.

Kathy took her time to enjoy her tea before setting the white porcelain cup down.

"I visited the Frey Manor this morning," Kathy stated.

"Oho?" Natalia’s smile widened. "The elusive Frey Manor? Do go on."

"Their youngest boy, Jarvis Frey, is working on something remarkable. It'll take a few years, but it is a concoction that will be worth a fortune once he completes it."

"Jarvis is quite the genius I've heard; what sparked your interest, my dear Kathy?"

Kathy took another long sip of her hot tea before continuing. She rather enjoyed watching Natalia's impatient facial expressions. Aside from the generous pay, it was her favorite aspect about visiting the Gossip Queen of Genise.

"He's working on a concoction that revitalizes soil. It enters and purifies the pollutants within."

Natalia's hands dropped to the table. Her bright eyes widened.

"You don't mean what I think you mean?" she asked.

Kathy nodded her head in response. "It's exactly what you think I mean."

"That's impossible—revolutionary if true. It would change everything." Natalia's long purple nails tapped across the metal table between them. "Not just in Adovoria, but the continent. Because of the pollution, only certain fruits and vegetables can grow, and only in limited parts of the continent."

Kathy smiled at Natalia's reaction. But, truth be told, she was equally astonished when she realized what the young Frey boy was working on in his greenhouse.

"If he's successful, the fears of a famine will diminish." Kathy nodded.

"How far along is he?" Natalia intertwined her fingers and rested her chin in her hands again.

"It'll only be another five years. Perhaps less," Kathy replied. "He has managed to revitalize the soil enough for certain plants. But not all. And the ingredients he needs are far too rare and expensive for mass production. He'll need to find cheaper alternatives."

Kathy recounted Jarvis's various notes haphazardly left out on his work table. He had scrambled to remove them from her view once he realized his error, but it was too late.

It was rather unusual for one of the Freys to be so careless. But maybe it was because he was still a child. And likely, he didn't expect any visitors to his greenhouse. Especially none like Kathy, who could decipher and understand his notes.

Kathy picked up her cup of tea and took another sip. She realized her hand trembled slightly.

Perhaps I was able to leave the Frey Manor safely because he thought I might not have understood the text? Or because I was a welcomed guest of his older brother, Luca?

If there was one thing that Kathy quickly picked up on, it was that Jarvis lit up in the presence of Luca. Just mentioning that she was a guest of Luca's instantly changed Jarvis' demeanor towards her.

Natalia picked up her own tea to drink.

"Kathy, my dear, you have outdone yourself. I will need to have a whole chest sent your way as payment. And I can assure you that it will not take Jarvis that long to produce the purifying concoction."

"Oh? You already have a buyer in mind for this bit of gossip?" Kathy wasn't too surprised. She had learned quickly that Natalia's connections ran deep.

"Several." Natalia set her cup down and leaned back in her chair. "Depending on the buyer, we'll begin to see clean, unpolluted soil in just two years, or the project will… simply vanish."

Kathy adjusted her thick pink frames.

She didn't like Natalia's answer. She much preferred the first alternative. However, the reality was that Natalia worked on all sides of Adovoria's push-and-pull politics. And there were certain parties for whom a polluted continent was more advantageous.

But I can't fault her for going after where the money is; I work the same way myself, after all. I revealed this information knowing full well the value of it and the consequences of how it might be used.

Kathy picked up her cup of tea and completed the remainder of the amber-colored liquid in her cup.

Not that there isn't a way to get around it. If this continent hopes to sustain itself, Jarvis' work must continue. I might not be able to say anything, but I can still influence what happens next.

"Well then, any other gossip of interest?" Natalia's eyes twinkled in excitement.

Kathy tipped the empty cup in Natalia's direction. "Of course, but perhaps after a new cup of tea? I have quite a few pieces you would be interested in. Plus a few areas I'd like to pick your brain on."

Natalia lifted her wrist and spoke into the red rune on her bracelet.

"Carlos, we're going to need a pot of tea."

* ~ * ~ * ~ *

Leona looked fat and happy sitting atop Henry's head. The carriage swayed as it turned the corner, and Henry reflexively reached up to ensure Leona didn't fall off.

I gazed at the two, who appeared to have grown accustomed to one another.

The yellow-ribbon-wrapped box with the strawberry pastry sat on my knees. My hands held it in place with every sway of the carriage.

"Young master Luca, what is next on the agenda?" Henry inquired. "Or will you be having lunch?"

"Peep?"

More delicious food?

I stared dumbfounded at Leona.

Where in the world does she have room for anything else in her stomach?

"No," I responded. "We're packing to leave the city for a few days."

"Where are we going?" Henry asked.

The carriage pulled up into the Frey courtyard. Remlend stood outside, awaiting me. He had a red envelope in his hands.

"I'm going to visit grandma at her villa," I replied before jumping out of the carriage.

"Young master Luca, a letter arrived for you from Madame Ruth Arankagul." Remlend presented the dreaded red letter to me.

I took and opened it, knowing already what the letter had to say. My eyes trailed the words, and an old guilt clutched my chest.

In my original life, my grandmother had requested I visit her. But I didn't go, not for any good reason, like why the rest of my family couldn't go see her. I simply didn't go because I didn't feel like it. And then, a few days later, she passed away.

She wasn't ill. Or rather, she never led on to be in anything else other than in perfect health. She just died in her sleep without prior warning.

The guilt of not visiting her in her final days stayed with me.

"Remlend, pack my things for a three-day trip. I'm going to visit my grandmother. We're leaving in two hours."

"Very well, I will let the rest of the staff know and prepare right away," Remlend said.

"Ah, I'm bringing Jasper along," I told him. "Make arrangements so he can travel comfortably."

Remlend's expression didn't change, but Henry most certainly had a reaction to this.

"Young master, but isn't Jasper too ill to come along?" Henry inquired.

"No. Some fresh outside air away from the city might do him good," I recalled the hint that Kathy gave me earlier today.

"And will Denise be joining us?" Remlend asked. He had his perpetually ordinary expression that I couldn't quite read.

"Of course," I replied.

What a strange question. I couldn't leave all the responsibilities to Remlend. Besides, Denise had been taking such attentive care of Jasper; it was only proper she came with us.

"Very well," Remlend bowed. "I will make the arrangements."